This week brought us the depressing news that Epic Mickey developer Junction Point would be closing its doors. While this is unfortunate news for Junction Point's employees, Disney, and Mickey himself, it's not the first time we've seen Mickey Mouse at the end of his rope.
From October 8th through the 24th in 1930, Disney ran several Mickey Mouse comic strips in the daily papers that told the story of a depressed Mickey trying to commit suicide after Minnie left him for a peddler named Mr. Slicker. The book Death Becomes Them tells how the idea was conceived and pushed into production by Walt Disney himself. Mouse Planet notes how Disney likely got the idea when he saw a Harold Lloyd comedy entitled Haunted Spooks, in which Lloyd's character becomes so despondent that he tries to kill himself in a series of comedic failed attempts.
When Disney stopped writing the daily Mickey Mouse cartoon himself, he suggested a similar storyline to the current cartoonist Floyd Gottfredson.
Of course, once Mickey thinks that Mr. Slicker has moved in on his girl he doesn't confront the rat; instead he thinks it would just be easier to kill himself.
After a series of failed attempts that illustrate that Mickey does indeed want to live, the mouse ultimately goes back to living a carefree life.
This was good news for gamers because Mickey went on to make some great games like Mickey?s Speedway USA, Castle of Illusion, and Kingdom Hearts. Even the first Epic Mickey was an interesting history lesson full of inventive ideas that didn't reach their full implementation. So Junction Point may be closing, and Disney might be going through some rough times, but I hope this isn't the last we see of Mickey Mouse. I still think he's a worthwhile character, and I hope to eventually see a video game that lives up to his iconic legacy.
You can read more old Mickey Mouse comics in Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse Collector's Box Set.
What are some of your favorite Mickey Mouse gaming memories?
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